Asian shares got a lift on Thursday from dovish comments by the U.S. Federal Reserve chief and upbeat Chinese trade data that suggested some signs of stabilisation in the world's second-largest economy.
Risk assets were also underpinned by signs of easing tensions in Ukraine after Russian President Vladimir Putin called on pro-Moscow separatists to postpone a secession vote.
Tokyo's Nikkei share average .N225 rose 1.1 percent while MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS rose 0.5 percent, inching away from five-week lows hit on Wednesday.
Chinese exports rose 0.9 percent in April from a year earlier, beating expectations of a 1.7 percent decline, while imports also overshot economists' estimates.
The data supported the case that Beijing's use of targeted policy measures to underpin growth may be starting to stabilise the economy.
The early impetus for markets also came from Fed Chair Janet Yellen's testimony to Congress, which helped U.S. shares reverse earlier losses to end in positive territory.
Yellen repeated her stance that the economy was still in need of lots of support given the "considerable slack" in the labour market.
"Yellen ... put her emphasis on the ways in which the economy and labour market were still falling short of the FOMC's goals. She also emphasized risks to the economy from a potential continuation of the recent 'flattening out' of housing activity," said Barclays analysts in notes to clients.
"The clear implication is that accommodative policy will be needed for a long time."
The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI rose 0.7 percent and the S&P 500 .SPX gained 0.6 percent.
Emerging market shares also held firm, with Brazilian shares hitting six-month highs and Mexican stocks at their highest in more than three months.
Yellen's remarks also kept the 10-year U.S. Treasuries yield at 2.590 percent, near Monday's three-month low of 2.572 percent.
Source: Reuters
